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Winemaker's Notes

Our 2006 CASK Cabernet has an exceptional aromatic quality and luscious flavors of red cherries and blackberries as well as plum and cocoa on the mid-palate. With its soft, lingering finish, the wine is easy to enjoy now with roasted or grilled meats, pasta and cheeses. It is a classic representation of Rutherford Cabernet.

Critical Acclaim

W&S91

Wine & Spirits - "This is 100 percent cabernet sauvignon selected from the Cohn and Chateau vineyards on Francis Ford Coppola's Rubicon Estate. It's aged in 500-liter American oak puncheons, referencing the larger format oak John Daniel, Jr., used for his Cask wines of the 1950's. This is a plump wine, filled with bosky cherry flavors and the bright light of acidity to cut some of the sweetness of the fruit. The finish heads toward figginess, chewy, generous and smooth. For roast rack of lamb."

WE90

Wine Enthusiast - "An elegant, complex 100% Cab, solid and potent, although it's also young and fresh in tannins and needs time in the cellar. Not showing particular finesse now, with straightforward cherry, blackberry and currant flavors, but has the balanced stuffing for the cellar."

CG90

Connoisseurs' Guide - "If this wine is meant as the little brother to the winery's expensive flagship bottling, it is doing a fine job of keeping up the family tradition of big, rich, boldly structured wines. Its handsomely cast aromas of cassis, sweet loam, rooty spice, caramel and hints of herbs that hide in the background even while adding their own bits of layering are carried by the deeply wrought fruit that holds everything together both here and in the wine's still developing flavors. Time in the cellar is needed to soften the tannins that are so integral to its makeup."

Inglenook Winery

In 1879, Finnish explorer and adventurer Gustave Niebaum searched the Napa Valley with the goal of establishing a wine estate to rival the finest chateau of France. For decades his wines won acclaim and remain some of the most admired in American wine history's classic period. By the mid-1960's, his property was divided, and estate-wine production ceased.

A decade later, Francis Ford Coppola purchased 1,500 acres of this historic property and revived Captain Niebaum's fine winemaking tradition. In 1995, Niebaum-Coppola acquired the remainder of the property and restored the Inglenook Estate to its original dimensions.
View all Inglenook Wines

About Napa Valley

It's hard not to think of Napa Valley when thinking of California wines. The region is, after all, the one that brought world recognition to California wine making. The area was settled by a few choice wine families in the 1960's who bet that the wines of the area would grow and flourish. They were right. The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980's, when vineyard lands were scooped up and vines were planted throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, from large conglomerates to small boutiques to cult classics. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux Blends. Whites are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Notable Facts

Within the Napa Valley lie smaller sub-AVAs that lend even more character specifics to the wines. Furthest south is Carneros, followed by Yountville, Oakville & Rutherford. Above those two is St.-Helena and finally, just grated an AVA, Calistoga. These areas are situated on the valley floor and are known for creating rich, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. There are a few mountain regions as well, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs. Those include Howell Mountain, Stags Leap and Mount Veeder. Wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from more time in the bottle to evolve and soften.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.